Valera Vale bull sale average $1000 higher than previous best

Top two: Lucy McGuire and Jessi Flynn, Valera Vale, with Stephanie Laycock, High Country Droughtmasters, Trent McKinlay, Landmark, and the two bulls purchased by the Laycocks for $9000 and $14,000 respectively. Picture: Sally Cripps.

At the fall of the last hammer at today’s on-property bull sale at Valera Vale, stud principals Michael and Tracy Flynn were happy vendors.

Not only had all 74 of their catalogue of stud bulls been snapped up as quickly as the wind was whipping dust particles through the air, but their average price was $1000 higher than the best they’d received in the past.

The top price of $14,000 was paid by High Country Droughtmasters for Valera Vale 177223, who had been sired by Valera Vale Factor, himself a sire at the High Country stud now.

Aged 22 months, the young bull had a scrotal circumference of 40cm and a motile percentage of 80.

He weighed 824kg and had an eye muscle area of 130 square centimetres.

High Country’s Paul Laycock said he would be mating well in excess of 1000 breeders and he believed Valera Vale’s style of bull was very promising for High Country in terms of females, as well as providing sale bulls.

He also snapped up the first lot to enter the ring, Valera Vale 177064, by Lynsey Park Vernon out of a Valera Vale matron, for $9000.

The two bulls were like peas in a pod, with the pair weighing the same and having similar EMAs.

“I like their specifications, both their good morphology and great temperament,” Paul said. “We run our own on-property bull sale – I’m looking forward to showcasing their progeny.”

Paying the second top price of the sale, $10,000, was Barlyne Pastoral, Gayndah, for double poll bull, Valera Vale 177139, who had one of the highest weight gain statistics in the catalogue.

Sired by Amavale Bradman, the 23-month-old bull had a scrotal circumference of 39cm and weighed 740kg.

Showing the versatility of the bulls, buyers were from around Queensland, including new clients, Tom Marland of Bundaberg, Darren Ward of Harrisville, and Julia Creek’s Ken Brockhurst.

Also buying were regular Western Australians, WNM MacDonald, Fossil Downs, who secured six sires for an average of $6583, and Warrawaggine Cattle Co, Port Headland, with four bulls bought for an average $4500.

Shane Williams, Broadmere Grazing, Taroom, selected six bulls, paying $7000 three times along the way.

Much as the 100pc clearance is to be celebrated, Michael Flynn said he’d prefer a number just off that because otherwise it probably meant someone missed out.

Almost halving the number in last year’s draft, 140, probably contributed to the clearance rate as well, he said, but was done with the extended dry in mind.

“I think our cattle’s fertility is the reason for the support, our dam history and our morphology,” he said.

“We’ve been selecting for it for 40 years and challenging them with this environment.

“In a way we’re both blessed and cursed by it, but cows that reproduce stay with some condition when there’s nothing in the paddock.